Chamber and committees

The majority of intra-uterine transfusions are performed as a result of rhesus incompatibility. However, figures provided in the answer to question S1W-19221 on 16 November 2001, include a number of others where the transfusion is identified, but the reason is not. An intra-uterine transfusion may also be indicated as being required, for example, where the mother's anti-bodies may cause harm to her baby.

The Executive is working with a number of partner organisations to develop a clearer picture of community language use across Scotland as well as considering possible specific research or surveys. This is continuing work and there is currently no fixed timetable for its completion.

Implementation of the Scottish Law Commission's recommendations would not lead to any significant difference in the number of children dealt with by the children's hearings system. The recommendations would prevent prosecution of children aged eight to 11 inclusive in the criminal courts, but the Commission's report showed that there were only 11 such prosecutions between 1994 and 1999. There are no recommendations in the report to change the disposals available to the courts in dealing with offenders or the measures available to the children's hearings to deal with children referred on offence grounds.

The information requested is not held centrally. It is the statutory responsibility of the local authority to give effect to supervision requirements made by children's hearings. If they are unable to do so, then they should bring the case back to the hearing for review.

The following table shows the number of Scotland's secure accommodation units, the number of places within them and where they are located. Secure Accommodation for Children in Scotland, 2001:

Secure Unit	Managing Council/Organisation	Secure Places
Rossie School Montrose ANGUS DD10 9TW	Independent	25
St Mary's Kenmure Bishopbriggs GLASGOW G64 2EH	Independent	30
Kerelaw School Kerelaw Road STEVENSTON Ayrshire KA20 4JY	Glasgow	24
Howdenhall 39 Howdenhall Road EDINBURGH EH16 6TY	Edinburgh	5
St Katherine's Centre - Guthrie Unit 29B Balmwell Terrace EDINBURGH EH16 6PS	Edinburgh	7 (inc 1 emergency bed)
The Elms Secure Unit Elm Court 317 South Road DUNDEE	Dundee	4 (incl 1 emergency bed)
	Total	95

Since 1996, statistics relating to the children's hearings system have been a matter for the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration (SCRA). Recent national statistics are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 18780).Previously, The Scottish Office collected the statistics. The information is not available in the format requested. Available information is:

Year	Total children aged 8-12 referred to reporter on offence grounds	Total offences for which referred
1995	3,411	8,103
1994	3,276	7,759
1993	3,036	7,097
1992	3,16	7,797
1991	3,380	8429

This information is not held centrally and would require a major piece of research at disproportionate cost for local agencies to provide the information requested.

The Scottish Organisation on the Removal and Retention of Organs (SORRO), which acts as an independent support group for parents distressed by past practice in relation to organ retention at post-mortem, is a self-financing organisation. The Executive has paid some minor expenses incurred by SORRO in helping to draw to a line under the consequences of past post-mortem practice.

The information requested is shown in Table 1 for years 1980 to 1998.Information for 1975 to 1979 is not available centrally.Information for 1999 and 2000 is not available centrally at present.Table 1 Intrauterine transfusion - Scotland:Number of pregnancies involving procedures and number of births surviving over four weeks: 1980-1998

Year of Outcome1,2	Number of pregnancies involving at least oneIntrauterine Transfusion3,4,5	Outcome5		Total births Surviving over four weeks
		Aborted6	Maternity7
1980	5	-	5	5
1981	4	2	2	2
1982	1	-	1	-
1983	1	-	1	1
1984	3	1	2	1
1985	1	-	1	1
1986	6	2	4	4
1987	2	-	2	2
1988	10	1	9	7
1989	13	1	12	11
1990	17	2	15	12
1991	9	-	9	8
1992	11	-	11	11
1993	12	-	12	10
1994	18	-	18	16
1995	9	-	9	7
1996	17	-	17	15
1997	4	-	4	3
1998P	11	-	11	9
Total	154	9	145	125

^P Provisional data.Source: Linked Scottish Morbidity Record (SMR)02, GRO Scotland, SBNND, SSBID databaseNotes:1. Foetal medicine did not develop until the late 1980s, when ultrasound technology improved to an extent that foetal therapy became a reality. The first series of direct intravascular transfusions were not performed regularly in Scotland until 1988.2. Based on the year the pregnancy ended with either a maternity or an abortion. SMR02 data between 1980 and 1999 was analysed but follow up information for babies born in 1999 was incomplete. Therefore, 1999 data is not presented. Note that the previous PQ answer (S1W-19221) referred to the year the transfusion was performed, rather than the year of outcome which is shown here.3. The number of pregnancies involving intrauterine transfusions in each year. Based on Classification of Surgical Operations (OPCS):2nd Revision; 1976 (747)3rd Revision; 1977- 1988 (747)4th Revision; 1989-2000 (R01.1, R04.3)4. The information shown refers to the number of pregnancies where at least one intrauterine infusion was performed. In pregnancies where patients required the procedure, between three and four transfusions were performed on average per pregnancy. The answer to question S1W-19221 on 16 November 2001 gave numbers of transfusions performed, rather than the number of pregnancies which is shown here. Hence, the numbers shown in this answer are considerably lower than those shown previously.5. Outcome information (abortion or delivery) on the maternity record (SMR02) was missing for 10 pregnancies involving intrauterine infusion. In all but one of these cases the patients were not Scottish residents. These pregnancies are excluded from the analysis.6. Includes therapeutic abortions and miscarriages managed in hospital.7. Pregnancies resulting in a live or still birth.

The Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, which has responsibility for the A1 south of the border, is currently carrying out a multi-modal study of the route between Berwick-upon-Tweed and Newcastle. The Scottish Executive is represented on the study's steering group.In Scotland, the Executive is committed to delivering four major improvement schemes on the route, including the Haddington to Dunbar Expressway. Together, these projects will provide an additional 18.8 km of dual carriageway, at a total cost of some £50 million.